John A Rayner

Sally's Great-uncle:
Gustave Beaureguard Rayner 1861 - 1952 | his parents
& 1886 Louanna Mitchell 1868 - 1912 | her parents
& 1913 Francis Elizabeth Hale 1888 - 1960 | her parents
of Powellsville, Bertie Co, NC
and Double Bayou, Chambers Co, Texas

Gustave Beaureguard Rayner 3 Aug 1861 - 1 Nov 1952 son of John Alexander Rayner and Mary Winifred Rayner
             Baptist preacher and farmer, Texas
    Having created a problem for himself, Gus elected to run away, ending up in Texas where he "saw the light" and later became a Baptist Minister.
       married 22 Aug 1886 1st Louanna Mitchell 1868- 14 June 1912
       married 10 Sept 1913 2nd Francis Elizabeth Hale 9 Jan 1888 - 10 Oct   1960

written by Gustave B Rayner about his own life.
Original in the Rayner family Bible at the home of Wilborn Rayner, Anahuac, TX
copied 7-22-78 by Marie D. Hand

   G. B. Rayner was born and raised on a farm near Powellsville, No. Carolina 3 August, 1861. It was then called Powells Cross Roads. He came to Texas, Lee County, July 12, 1883. He hired on a farm for $16 per month and board for six months, then worked at a cotton gin and after that hired on farm at rate of $200 per year. He loved the farm life. He was married to Miss Louanna Mitchell August 22, 1886.
   He was ordained to ministray, 4th Sunday in Sept. 1897 by Prospect Church, Lee Co. Moved to Polk County - - Leggett - - Nov. 1897 where he farmed and preached to some weak churches as well as some mission points.
1903 accepted missionary colportage work for New Bethel Assoc. 4 and one half years, moved to Pennington as Pastor for 2 years and because of wife's health to Evant in the mountains, she was not improving, moved back to Polk Co, Livingston, accepted mission colportage and worked in Trinity Assoc. 2 years. Then bought and moved on a little farm one mile from Livingston in November 1911 where he lost his wife- - died June 14, 1912.
    Married Miss Francis Hale Sept 10, 1913. Moved to Double Bayou, Chambers Co. Dec 12 1914, where he truck farmed and preached each Sunday for a number of years.

info from Norma Rayner Hawkins --written by Marie D. Hand
   During the summer of 1911 while G. B. Rayner was still living at Livingston, Texas he was asked to hold a Revival in the Cedar Grove community in Chambers county. He took his daughter Ora with him on the trip. She was about sixteen. . .she contracted typhoid fever and died the 19th of September 1911. The next year his wife Louanna died (1912). One year later (1913) he married Francis Elizabeth Hale and their first child Esther Winnifred was born 11 September 1914. The winter of 1914 he and his family moved from Livingston to Chambers County on the banks of Double Bayou. When asked in later years why he went to Chambers Co. he replied, "To whip the devil and fight the mesquitoes."
   They lived on a farm known as the Bradley Place. At that time it was owned by D L Broussard and his wife Ida Hawkins (the sister of Willie Hawkins who later married Norma Rayner." At the time of the Galveston Storm of 1915 they were living there and had many stories to tell about their experiences.

as remembered by Sally Koestler
Uncle Gus came to visit us sitting up in a bus all the way from Texas to Eastern North Carolina when he was well into his eighties. The preacher always called upon him to pray on Sunday morning and he would keep us on our knees! it seemed forever.
Daddy told of once he came while he was widowed ca 1912 and someone told him that his old sweet-heart's husband had also died last winter. So my father took him over to Gates Co. to call on the lady. Daddy related that as soon as they arrived Uncle Gus said as was his custom, "Let Us Pray." They all got down on their knees and Uncle Gus led them in prayer--he continued for two hours before he finally stopped. They got up, Uncle Gus looked at his pocket watch and pronounced, "It's getting late; it's time to go."
"And that, said Daddy, "was the entire visit. Dernest thing I ever saw or heard of." My father was about 20 at that time.

Gustave Beaureguard Rayner and Louanna Mitchell had:

1906 Gus Rayner family
In front - Truett, Norma. Center - G B, Galen, Louanna holding Ivy
Standing in back - Ora, Beulah, Edgar, Frank

1. John Edgar Raynor 3 July 1887 - 8 Sept 1973 Walker Co TX
         All of John Edgar's children are Raynor not Rayner. He changed the name when approx. 18 years of age and all of his descendants are now OR not ER.
    married 1908 Sarah Elizabeth Bell 27 Jan 1889 - 31 May 1974 Walker Co TX
      a. John Clyde Raynor 1909 - 1998 Madisonville TX
           married 11 Nov 1933 Mildred Maudine Farrie 25 Jan 1916 - 10 July 1982
             i. James Alan Raynor 1947 - 1949
            ii. Carolyn Ann Raynor 1949 -
                married Frank Robertson
           iii. John Gary Raynor 28 Feb 1951 - 29 Dec 2006 Madisonville TX
                          farmer and rancher
                married 1982 Nancy Jendrusch
                      1. Ashley Alyssa Raynor 1984 -
                      2. Bradley Ryan Raynor 1986 -
                      3. Calley Lynn Raynor 1990 -
         married 2nd 14 Feb 1985 Lela Mae Neyland Cook
      b. Jewel Edgar Raynor 15 Dec 1911 - Jan 1980 Walker Co TX
           married Ruth Dees [died a couple of years ago]
            i. John Edgar Raynor 1947 -
           ii. Richard Charles Raynor 1950 -
                married Virginia Calderon
                      1. Joy Raynor 4 July 1976 -
                      2. Jeffery Raynor 1 April 1988 -
          [the Jewel Raynor/Ruth Dees marriage didn't last too long...
           they were divorced and he remarried a few times.]
      c. Jesse Alonzo Raynor 1913 - 1978
           married Oda Beth White 1923 - 1978
            i. Paula Elizabeth Raynor 1957 -
                 married Draper
           ii. Martha Elaine Raynor 1959 -
                married Lewis
           iii. Laura Evelyn Raynor 1966 -
                  married Yanbell
2. Frank Lacy Rayner 18 Jan 1889 - 8 Oct 1958
      married 1st 1911 Norma Bronson
      married 2nd 1917 Rebecca Coleman 1896 -
      a. Frank Leo Rayner 1922 -
           married Elizabeth Louise Calvert 1924 - 1976
            i. Frank Lewis Rayner 1947 -
           ii. Carolyn Elizabeth Rayner 1951 -
           iii. William Gustave Rayner 1953 -
           iv. Peter David Rayner 1955 -
           v. Coleman Calvert Rayner 1958 -
      b. Betty Ann Rayner 1928 -
            married Otis Franklin Brock
3. Beulah Mae Rayner 11 Mar 1891-7 Jan 1977
      married 1915 Lawson J. Hand
       a. William Gaines Hand 1916 -
             married Marie Davidson 1917 - 2002
              i. Ava Elizabeth Hand 1950 -
             ii. Margaret Mae Hand 1953 -
                   married Calvin Lee Lewis
      b. Carroll Rayner Hand 1918 - 1980
            married Lillian Copeland 1929 -
      c. Broughton Lynn Hand 1920 -
           married Mary Lillian Ledet 1920 -
            i. Myra Louise Hand 1950 -
                married Terry Lynn Norman
           ii. Lynn Davis Hand 1951 -
                 married Jean Ann Manes
      d. Lawson Jefferson Hand Jr 1924 -
      e. Franklin Lee Hand 1927 -
      f. daughter
4. Florence E. Rayner 10 Mar 1894 - 11 Mar 1894 dy
5. Ora Ligon Rayner 23 Oct 1895 - 19 Sept 1911
6. Norma J Rayner 28 Feb 1898 - 28 Sept 1996
      married 1918 William J Hawkins 1888 - 1964
       a. Edwin Harold Hawkins 1919 -
             married Margie Wylie
       b. William Dale Hawkins 1922 -1922
       c. Doyle Lewis Hawkins 1924 - 1995
             married 1st Bobby Blakely
             married 2nd Shirley Miller
             married 3rd Helen Stepheson
7. George Truett Rayner 16 Dec 1899 - 22 Mar 1965
       married Julia Mae d. 1962
        a. a son Rayner
8. Galen Yates Rayner 20 Nov 1902 - 29 Dec 1975 Houston TX
      married 1st 1924 Agnes Bonin d. 1963
      married 2nd Golda Donnad d. 1970
      married 3rd Lela Mae Martin
9. Ivy M Rayner 6 Oct 1905 - 9 June 1907 dy
10. Alma Rayner 13 May 1908 - 2001
      married 1st 1927 Lynn Henderson
      married 2nd 1940 Homer Mahaffey 1906 - 1981
11. Elma Rayner 13 May 1908 - 8 Jan 1989
      married 1928 Robert G Vandaveer 1884 - 1960

Gus Rayner Birthday celebration 1926

Gus Rayner's wife and daughters 1926
from left: Alma, Beulah Mae, Rebecca (Frank's wife), Fannie (Gus's wife),
Norma, Agnes (Galen's wife), Elma

Gus's children & grandchildren 1926
left to right (back row) James Percy Rayner, Frank Rayner Jr, Broughton Hand, Carroll Hand, Louis Hurlburt, Winifred Rayner, Barney Hurlburt, Bill Hand, Wilborn Rayner, Harold Hawkins. Florine Rayner is the girl in the middle. (Front row) Lawson Hand Jr, Mary Nell Rayner, Doyle Louis Hawkins.
(The Hurlburt Children are nephews of Gus's wife Fannie who were living with them at that time.)

Gustave Beaureguard Rayner and Francis Elizabeth Hale had:

12. Esther Winifred Rayner 11 Sept 1914 -
      married 1947 Kenneth Rodabaugh Rayl 1905 - 1991
       a. Winifred Raye [Rene] Rayl 1948 -
              i. Stephanie Kersey
              ii. Martin Shindle
              iii. Anthony Roper
       b. Kenneth Rayner [Ken] Rayl
       c. Gustave Walter [Walter] Rayl
               i. Leonard Sutton
              ii. Karl Gustav Rayl
       d. George Alfred [George] Rayl
             married 22 Sept 1979 Sandra Ellen Ryniak
               i. Edward Kenneth Rayl 1980 -
              ii. Erynn Elizabeth Rayl 1981 -
13. Gustave Wilborn Rayner 19 July 1917 - 19 Jan 1980
      married 1st Edith Renfro 1924-
      married 2nd 1955 Mary Jane Beard
       a. Malanie Rayner
       b. Dawn Rayner
14. Dorcas Florine Rayner 3 Oct 1919 - 1998
      married 1941 James Junior Reeves 1918 - 1998
15. James Percy Rayner 12 June 1922 - 29 Dec 1984
      married 1951 Alma Beatrice Robinson 1901 - 1987
16. Mary Nell Rayner 29 June 1924 -

Mary at her computer

      married 1942 Joseph Maioni died 1993
        a. Modine "Mo" Maioni
             married John Barrett
              i. Kevin Barrett 1970 -
             ii. Heather Barrett 1972 -

Heather, John and Mo 2001

        b. Evelyn Cecilia Maioni 12 Dec 1948 - 30 July 1972
                      legal secretary - inoperative brain tumor - no issue
             married Herbert Brower
        c. Anji Maioni
             married Carl E Brazell III
              i. Michael Joseph Marshall Brazell 1989 -
             ii. David Andrew Beauregard Brazell 1991 -
             iii. John Benjamin Raynor Brazell 1994 -
      married 8 May 1999 Arthur P Horsch
                  died Friday, 18 May, 2007 FL
           buried Copperas Cove, Texas with full military honors

Gus Rayner's 85th Birthday Party 1946

Gus and birthday cake

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